Ilya Utkin

Born in Moscow, Ilya Utkin is an architect, designer, photographer and professor. He graduated from the Moscow Architecture Institute in 1978 and is a professor at the International Academy of Architecture (Moscow). Since 1994, he has headed the Utkin Studio, an architecture and design firm. Utkin worked in partnership with Alexander Brodsky from 1978 to 1993, earning prizes at many international design competitions, including first prize in the Central Glass Competition: Crystal Palace (1982, Tokyo) and first prize for architecture in the East Meets West in Design Competition (1988, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York). In 1997, Utkin won third place (with Brodsky and Evgeny Monakhov) in the architectural rating 10 Best Buildings of the Decade (Moscow) and second place in the Russian Union of Architects Best Project of the Year competition (with S. Shestopalov). He won first prize at the Venetian Biennial Architecture Competition (2000, Venice) and at the Ideal City Competition (2004, Moscow). Utkin’s notable architecture projects include the Alexander Grin Museum, Feodosiya (1985-1989, with Alexander Brodsky); Atrium Restaurant, Moscow (1986-1987, with Brodsky and Evgeny Monakhov); the entrance portal of the European Ceramics Centre, Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands (1991-1992, with Brodsky); a country estate at Sosna, Moscow region (1997-2000); a mansion in Levshinsky Pereulok, Moscow (2000-2004, with SKIP); and a country estate at Zhukovka, Moscow region (2000-2004). Exhibitions of his work include Ilya Utkin’s Non-Contemporary Architecture (2000, Moskomarchitecture, Moscow) and the photography exhibitions Melancholy (1984, Regina Gallery, Moscow and 1995-98, USA) and 24 (2001, House of Photography, Moscow). He designed the sets for Brothers and Liza (1998, Mossoviet Theatre) and for the ballets Cinderella (2000, Mariinsky Theatre) and The Bright Stream (2005, National Opera, Riga).